The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-30


State of New York had better not make
itself ridiculous by meddling with a
matter il does not understand. have
taken eighteen grains with impunity.
DR.. Bosworth, of this city, took twenty
five grains without the least untoward
result. In two months and half ne
took an ounce (4S0 grains) an average
of six grains a day. During second
series of experiments lasting two weeks,
he took $50 grains, an average of over
ten grains day. He quit the use of
the medicine without the slightest dill
fculty, and without then having the
least tendency to a cocaine habit" In
a case mentioned by Msrtindale twenty
three grains were taken without lnJurI
GUS effect, and in another cited by the
same author thirty-.wo grains, the chief
instance in this latter Instance being
Increased cerebral activity" We all
call to mind the persistency with which
it was used month after month in the
case OF General Grant with the effect OF
soothing the pain that would otherwise
have been felt and without the least
deleterious result.
Now, is it not absurd to call such an
agent poison and to utter frantic APP
peals to the public and the Legislature
TO prohibit its sale except on the pre-
scription of a physician-a restriction
which is not imposed on any drug what
ever within the limits of the state of
New York? In nearly 100 cases in
which Dr. BOs worth used the drug in
his practice there was not one in which
any injurious or distressing result en- :
sued.
In regard TO the so-called cocaine
habit" | have to repeat that there is no
evidence that it exists in any case In
which the individual cannot as with
tea, coffee or tobacco stop 1t II he
wishes; no case in which it exists as an
enchanting and overpowering habit,
unless it has been superadded to the
opium or alcohol habit. | have used
cocaine often for several months at a
time, in more than 800 cases. l pre-
scribe it every day of my life. see II
produce the most beneficial results, but
| have never known it to cause the least
deleterious effect or in single instance
| to lead to the formation OF habit
| The patients stop it AT once as soon as
they are told to do so. ! would like to
see a pure case of the cocaine habit,
anu | will thereupon pay the expense
| from any part of the United States tC
this city if any victim" who will come
here will authenticate and allow me t.
examine him, and / will then pay his
way back to his home. do not refel
| to broken-down opium eaters whose viii
power is destroyed and who have taker
to cocaine as cure. Such persons
have no power to stop any habit the,
may have formed, nor to whisky drink
ers who have made like attempts.
want bonafide cocaine eater who can
stop, whose mind is a wreck and wit
suffers the torments of the damned /
his dose be suspended. Such ont
would be of great service in opening the
ewes of many who believe in the exist
ence of such habit.
| have noticed that all the writer
who have attempted to controvert m.
ideas on the subject assert that In M
remarks before the Neurological Societ.
gave my own case as the only supp or
to my assertion-that cocaine habi
could not be prodcced. did nothin
of the kind. particularly stated tina
| had used it in many cases tor Ion
periods and that in none of them had
habit been established. The idea tina
a Young man could, as reported, acquir
the habit by shutting a solution G
cocaine up his nostrils for cold in hi
; head is to my mind supremacy absurd
| have never thought that persons shout
use cocaine or in fact any other dru
without medical advice, but the momen
an attempt is made to prevent them b.
a law, that moment they will feel di
posed to indulge. As to the statemer
chat there is any considerable numbe
of cocaine addictors" in this country
: have only to say that there Is not tn
slightest proof of its correctness. Eve
if there were persons who after sever
mental or physical exertion, or as
preparative thereto, took half OF
grain of cocaine or even grain, | al
quite satisfied that not only would n
harm be done, but that they would e.
! perience beuefit from the act, and tina
furthermore, they would not thereb
acquire habit of taking it when ne
needed. l am opposed to the habitus
use of opium, alcohol, Indian heml
quinine, iolap, chloroform, tartar eneti
or any other medicine without the az
vice of physician, and | am equal
z OpDOSSu W COCdluO DC1hS ChlPiON z
habitually by any one unless under pr'
fesIional advice. But there are cases
which even the habitual use of opiul
is the less of the two evils; there are il
t stances, as we saw often in our infantr
e during the war, in which the daily u:
0 OF quinine is necessary; there are oil
: ers in which life is only preserved by tt
g daily injection of wine or some otht
= stirnulant, and if there should be othe
5 in which the physician thinks cocalr
a required he would be narrow-minde
: indeed and derelict in his duty if
= were not to prescribe it in such dos
: and as frequently as he thought prope
Again, whatever may be said to tt
contrary, cocaine properly administers
a by physician competent to deal wit
5 such cases, is remedy for the oplu
e habit. | have cured ases OF the kin
8 by its use and so have other physician
0 1t is not, however, remedy tor II
C feeble minded opium eater to medd
Y with, for not only will he not succeed
: curing himself, but he will inevitabI
5 make himself worse. Unlimited cocair
4 with unlimited opium makes bad con
e bination.
e WILLIAM A. HAMMOND, M. ID.
1 No. 43 West Fifty Fourth-st., Neeo for
March 16, 1887.